


the night shift

by shownus



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship, Drabble, Fluff and Angst, Homophobia, Jeno Loves Nintendo, Jeno deserves the world, Jeno is Sweet Indie Boy, Jeno plays animal crossing, Late Night Writing, M/M, bad parents!, homophobic parents grr!, jeno is lost boy so scared come save him from himself, lee jeno - Freeform, na jaemin - Freeform, what else needs to be said
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-03 02:26:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19454416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shownus/pseuds/shownus
Summary: jeno questions life and makes friends with the employee working the night shift.





	the night shift

**Author's Note:**

> this is drabble. yes maam. nomin buddies. please support their blossoming friendship.

jeno was one of those kids who never saw his mom cry. she didn't cry happy-tears when she became too overjoyed for words, she was too powerful for that. jeno had only seen her cry twice in all nineteen years of his life. these poignant events would stain jeno's brain like, like when the bar code sticker doesn't come off all the way, and it leaves gross residue. now this was the third time he saw her cry, and it felt insurmountably worse than the rest.

"i raised you better than this!" her voice came out breathy. "you expect me to accept you as one of my own— after you humiliate me like this!" she placed a finger on jeno's chest and pushed him back. "look at yourself. you should be thankful for all you have. if you came to church with your father and me, He could have healed you." although she didn't use the entirety of her force to push him, he felt himself still stumble back from shock. "your generation is heartless. there's no hope. just get out."

he fought back tears of his own, feeling his face red-hot, a mixture of misery and fury.  
"blaming the whole fucking generation now? for your bad parenting! because your son is gay? how does this change anything?" he gasped for air between each word he managed to spit out in his state of dismay.

"just get out! come back normal or don't come back!" she flung herself to the front door and swung it open with all her might, screaming furiously.

jeno grabbed his backpack and ran past her, gripping the hinge. "guess i'll be sucking dick in hell then!!"

she slammed the door on his fingers, initiating a painful cry to leave his mouth. it slowly quietened into silence, jeno's frowned mouth gaping open, his knees buckled weakly as he began to lower himself to the wet ground, holding his hand to his chest. he encompassed his forearm in the warmth of his own body heat, but somehow, the pain in his heart felt significantly worse than that of his digits.

flocculent snowflakes dazzled down from above. they shimmered gloriously, maybe even enjoying being the center of attention during the cold months. the specs of fluffed ice basked in fame as they were hit by the porch lights just right, choosing to dance as they softly landed on the dark blue hood of lee jeno's favorite pullover sweater.

the click of the front door being locked did not at all startle lee jeno.

squinting up from his tearful cave he had once created with his legs, the twinkling lights of holiday decorations created beautiful out-of-focus bulbs that shook and splayed interchanging colors as his tears shifted along the surface of his dark pupils. he managed to steady his wobbling legs with a wavering sigh, the pain lingering in his ring, middle, and index fingers. taking a few steps into the front yard, he turned to look at his home. without a thought in his mind or a friend to call, he began to walk down the street.

✃

lee jeno was quiet. he could easily stick to corners of walls and bathroom stalls at social events or during school hours. he graduated with passing grades and a passion for, absolutely nothing. he grew up on animal crossing, pokemon ruby and sapphire, and listened to japanese rock bands and his father's useless lectures which, at nineteen and eight months, he could finally assure himself they were in fact: totally and completely fucking useless! he made friends which sometimes stuck and sometimes didn't, but nonetheless, never made him feel completely safe. now what? a gap year? is that what this was? whatever it was, jeno was tired of it. he wanted to travel the world, and see everything it had to offer before settling down like everyone else, but what was he really supposed to do? after years of hearing he wasn't brave enough from himself and himself only, he finally begun to accept this defeat.

droplets fell from his cheeks to the tightly packed snow below, melting against the perfect solidity and creating small craters. boots, scuffling up the snow in the street, and heavy breaths, fogged his mind and moistened his scarf. he made sure to begin erasing memories from the depths of his head, preserving room for new, fun adventures without parents, or rules! hell yeah!  
if only jeno had packed his nintendo switch.

✃

one of the finer things he came to appreciate in his calm life was taking strolls around the neighborhood, and convenience store food.  
jeno made a b-line to the city's 24 hour mini-mart.

it took maybe 10 minutes to arrive, although it was empty, the machines beep rhythmically and a loud scraping sound comes from the checkout let young jeno know that someone is around. wiping his eye with his hand, he rubbed his feet on the tattered welcome mat and crossed his arms comfortably. he read online once that someone with crossed arms is deemed more unapproachable than someone without, the thought passes in and out of his mind- maybe this was what he was doing wrong? jeno could confidently lower one arm to his side, a substantial effort! 

as jeno swiveled his head around to each brightly packaged item that decked the shelves and refrigerated units of the mart, a voice startles him.  
"whatcha looking for?" a hopeful voice echoed from behind the counter. his head turned to the sound.

he's about 20 feet away. if the place had been more busy, jeno surely would of never heard him. he was lanky, with soft brunette dyed hair and puffy eyes.

"something to satisfy my boredom." a stressed smile emerged from jeno as he responded, turning his back to the boy to face the pre-packaged snacks.  
"eating out of habit and not hunger is an unhealthy way of life." he trails off similar to jeno with his chin perched sharply against the hard surface, his throat flexing oddly against the corner of the counter, still sliding the coins around in gyrations.

"i bet." jeno responds without listening, grumbling through the numerous containers of sushi rolls, flicking the price tags and watching the plastic bounce back.

the employee sighs as though speaking to him is draining all energy from his being, and jeno feels slightly offended.  
"are you really looking at the sushi rolls here? don't trust it. you'd probably get salmonella." his long arms pushed the coins like a slot machine back into his lap and then relocated them into the register.

jeno absentmindedly nods, turning away from the bacteria infected fish, feeling a bit conflicted. swinging his legs lazily, jeno sways over to the counter, resting a hand in front of him as he used the other to point to the 'COFFEE' sign behind the cashier.

he pivots around in his chair and grabs a coffee filter, but he pauses.  
"you want like- some ramen, or something?"  
he is staring at jeno's hand. jeno thinks of the boy's snarky remark from earlier, but isn't the type to say anything. so he ignores it and accepts the offer of ramen, thanking the sleepy boy behind the counter.  
"do you live around here?" the boy rises from the surface to display his red name tag: JAEMIN  
"i'm actually a little bit homeless right now." jeno can't help but giggle a little as the words come out.

jaemin grabs the two styrofoam cups, and turns back to jeno in silence.  
"so are you leaving town, then?" his tone is curious, but he avoids eye contact, just staring at the steam leaving the cup.  
"i might try, but i don't actually know how." jeno answers honestly, absentmindedly stepping back until he reaches something to sit on, a stack of crates worked perfect!

"i can help!" jaemin remarked, looking back up at jeno for half a second before beginning to rip open the cup noodles.

✃

"you have really bad social-skills" jaemin lets his small laugh subside when jeno stares back at him blankly.  
"sorry. just joking." he answers in a soft, deep voice. it reminds jeno of sponge cake, hot cocoa, and not leaving his room for days while waiting for cherries to regrow in the digital town that he took so much pride in.

jeno expresses a small 'hmph' of sentiment and stay quiet for a few seconds. "what's your name?"  
'jaemin.' jeno tells himself.

he wipes his nose of his sleeve. "jaemin." he rests his face in his hands. "what about you?"  
"jeno" he answers with his eyes half closed. "how old are you?" jeno asks again.  
"18." he answers abruptly. "ask me something interesting!"  
"uhh..." jeno begins to drift off, now the pressure of being mocked for his lacking social-skills starts to simmer, burning his cheeks.  
jeno imagines himself in a bright field of gorgeous flowers, pink, purple, red, and yellow, the sun beaming in proud rays that warm his whole body as he skips his way through the summery paradise into the big black letters that cast menacing shadows upon the oasis: 'SOCIAL ANXIETY.'  
jeno's eyes twinkle unknowingly.

"do you play video games?" jeno crosses his heart and hopes to die. of course not. he probably plays tennis, or some other stupidly gay sport only a straight person would participate in, just for the sheer concept of disappointing jeno.  
"yeah! i love video games. i have been playing the new legend of zelda game on my switch." the more jaemin continues, the louder and higher his voice lifts, ending with a little squeal which leaves jaemin not the least bit embarrassed. "i have it with me, but my shift was 7 hours tonight... so... it died."  
jeno's heart busts a move all on its own, and the butterflies once wreaking havoc in his tummy suddenly liquefy.

"are you kidding me? i loved that game. i finished it in 3 days!" jeno can't help but let his cheeks swallow his eyes whole, and jaemin laughs.  
the squeaky styrofoam screeches as jaemin pushes the cups to jeno. "here you go." he hands him some chopsticks and retreats back to his face-in-hands pose.  
jeno sits across from jaemin, drinking his coffee, contemplating life, and trying to ignore the feeling of intense uneasiness as jaemin offers small, frothy glances at him, his mind obviously working hard at churning out another topic. his mouth twists just in the slightest as he thinks.  
"have any family you're spending the holiday season with?" he asks with this nudging attitude that would bother him if it was anyone but a nintendo fanboy like jaemin.

"nope." jeno answers fast, enveloping his hands around the cup. the heat against his fingers soothes and jaemin's voice heals. "you..?"

"nah, my parents are visiting my sister at her college." he's staring out the window now, watching the snow drift by.  
"we close in a bit, by the way."

"are you going to kick me out?" jeno smiles at him, after not having felt the confidence to joke with someone in a while, jaemin is a perfect addition to jeno's night. with his coffee cup close to his face, the scent of ramen, and the sight of jaemin filling him with hope, jeno feels... sort of... content. he gives a small smile. "actually.." his head drifts from the window onto jeno. "i was wondering if you wanted to go somewhere."  
his eyebrows furrow sweetly, jeno gets a twisty feeling in his belly. maybe jaemin does this kind of thing a lot.

"i'm not sure-" he responds. "i should probably call up a friend or something." jeno stares at the coffee through the little hole in the lid.  
now he feels guilty for lying.  
"you can stay at my place tonight, if you're comfortable." he snatched up the keys to lock the register, motioning for jeno to stand as he grabs his coat and scarf. "ready? if we get home quick, maybe you can help me with this one shrine i'm struggling with."

jaemin's quickness startles jeno, making his mind spin at an inhuman speed. this couldn't be a good idea, but the thought of playing a video game with a friend was something jeno hadn't experienced in a long time. the word 'home' circled around in his brain- which had begun feeling like pudding. home home home. home, home... home. jeno wants a home. jeno wants to feel safe. why has it taken so long to feel safe?  
"woah, woah- woah!" jeno laughs after a moment of silence- "is someone coming to take over your shift?"

"do you see any cameras? do you see any customers? i'm just sitting here on my ass, i should be able to invite a cute boy to play video games at my house-" he stops himself when jeno's eyes double in size. "oh, sorry. i'm not going to try anything, oh my gosh. i wasn't trying to make you uncomfortable. i really just want to play video games." for a second, jeno wonders what jaemin thought when he walked into the mini-mart. he wonders if jaemin felt the same amount of warmth from his own voice, if jaemin had as many friends as him, or even felt the same sort of pain as him.  
he wondered if jaemin had ever kissed a boy before.  
but that wasn't important. _now_ was important.

jeno blinks a few times, blankly, nodding slowly. he stands up and juts his elbow out for jaemin to entwine his own arm into. "let's solve that shrine!" he smiles, slightly worried his heart might drop out of his ass. the cashier with the soft hair and red name tag sticks his arm through jeno's, tossing his scarf over his shoulder. jaemin shuts off the lights and locks the door.

"to discover the legend of zelda!" jaemin says, each word is followed by a small puff of heat that flows out into the cold air.

jeno wonders if its too late to ask to go back inside and grab the ramen cups left on the counter.


End file.
